Locking means for top lift and pin combination



Jan. 22, 1963 c. s. GUDERMUTH LOCKING MEANS FOR TOP LIFT AND PIN COMBINATION Filed May 31, 1961 /A/VE A/TOR CLYDE 6. GUDERMUTH, BYW B7 6 ZZMW HTTOEALE Y5 3,074,16 LOCKHQG WANS FOR TOP LEFT AND PEN C(BNEENATIGN Clyde S. Gudermuth, Webster Groves, Mo, assignor to Missouri Wood Heel Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 31, 1961, Ser. No. 113,875 6 Qlaims. (Cl. 36--34) This invention relates to a shoe heel and top lift combination, and especially to a pin formation for locking 2. top lift to the head of the pin.

The invention includes a heel with a hole bored through it from the bottom of the heel. A pin fits tightly Within the bore and extends from the bottom of the heel sub stantially to the heel seat. The pin has an irregularly shaped head on it and a top lift is molded onto the head of the pin.

The shape of the head of the pin is an important part of this invention inasmuch as it is this shape of the head that assures the locking of the top lift onto the head of the pin. in essence, the pin has a double head with the two heads being spaced from one another. Because of this space between the heads, there is an annular groove surrounding the pin, with each of its sides being defined by one of the heads, and with the bottom of the groove being defined by the shank of the pin. Of course, the pin at the annular groove might be of greater or lesser diameter than the diameter of the shank of the pin. Also, the diameters of the heads might be different and the shapes of the heads might be different.

There is a kerf in the lowermost head of the pin. The depth of this kerf is at least equal to the height of the head, but the width of the kerf is substantially less than the diameter of that part of the pin that defines the bottom of the annular groove.

The top lift is molded directly to the head of the pin, with the top lift material flowing into the annular groove and into the kerf, with the material in the kerf and the material within the groove meeting and bonding together during the molding process. The material used is a synthetic plastic such as a polyether or polyester, such materials being known under various trademarks, such as polyurethane, urethane and adiprene. These materials have the highly desirable characteristics of strength and resilience, but with their use there has been the significant problem of keeping the top lift on the head of the pin.

it is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a heel and top lift combination wherein the top lift is attached to the head of a pin secured to the heel, with means for locking the top lift to the pin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a top lift and a pin wherein the pin has a double head with a kerf in one head, and portions of the top lift extend into the space between the heads and into the kerf to lock the top lift onto the pin.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for locking a molded top lift to the head of a pin, the top lift being of a strong and resilient material that would normally be expected to flex away from the pin.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a view in longitudinal section showing a heel, a pin and atop lift;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view in section of the lower portion of FIGURE 1, with the top lift also shown in section;

FIGURE 3 is a view in section taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view in section taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation view of the pin; and

FIGURE 6 is a bottom view of the pin.

Referring now to the drawing, the heel 10 of FIGURE 1 is illustrated as being of the thin, narrow or pencil type. This heel 19 has a heel cup 11 at its upper side that fits against the bottom of a shoe, and a bottom wall 12 at its lower end. There is a bore 13 through the heel from the bottom wall 12 to the cup 11.

The shank 15 of a pin extends substantially all the way through the bore 13 to reinforce and provide added strength to the heel. This pin shank 15 has a plurality of longitudinal splines 16 formed in it which dig into the side wall of the bore 13 and lock the pin in place and against rotation.

At the extreme lower end of the shank 15 there is a head 17. Another head 18 is spaced from the head 17. As best seen in FIGURE 5, the space between the heads 17 and 18 defines an annular groove having a side wall 19 defined by the head 17, and an opposing side wall 21) defined by the head 18. The bottom 21 of the annular groove preferably intersects the side walls 19 and 20 at about degree angles, although these angles may be changed or the intersections rounded.

The lowermost head 17 has a kerf 22 cut in its bottom surface. This kerf 22 has side walls 23 and a bottom wall 24. The bottom wall 24 is about co-planar with the side wall 19 of the annular groove, the depth of the kerf 22 being at least as great as the thickness of the lowermost head 17, so that the kerf 22 actually communicates with the annular groove between the heads 17 and 18.

There is also a space between the uppermost head 18 and the bottom 12 of the shoe heel 1b. This space has a side wall defined by the bottom 12 of the heel and another side wall 25 defined by the head 18 of the pin. The bottom 26 of this space is defined by the shank 15 of the pin.

The top lift 28 is molded directly onto the lower end of the pin, specifically onto the two heads 17 and lit of the pin. During the molding process, an annular portion of the top lift material flows into and fills the annular groove between the heads 17 and 18. Also a portion 30 flows into and fills the kerf 22. This portion 39 joins with the annular portion 29, filling the annular groove. In addition, there is a portion 31 of the top lift that covers the upper side 25 of the head 18 and this portion 31 fits into the space between the head 18 and the bottom wall 12 of the heel pin.

The various locking parts of this pin and top lift com bination, including the contribution of the bottom 12 of the heel, assure that the top lift will not flex away from the pin. The top lift remains locked to the pin even though the forces of walking that are applied to the top lift are applied to an edge rather than uniformly on the bottom of the top lift. The portion 31 of the top lift within the space between the head 18 and the bottom 12 of the heel serves a locking function, but the final positive locking is believed to occur because of the juncture between the annular groove between the heads 17 and 13 and the kerf 22.. Thus, the top lift portions 29 and 30 that are joined together during the molding process provide an absolute lock against flexing of the top lift away from the pin, which lock can only be broken if the top lift itself is severed.

Various changes and modifications may be made Within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A heel and top lift combination comprising a heel having a top lift receiving bottom wall, a recess in the heel for receiving the shank of a pin, said pin having a shank for insertion within the recess with an end of the shank located outside the recess and below the bottom wall, head means adjacent the aforesaid end of the shank and projecting laterally beyond the surface of the shank, lateral projection means beyond the surface of the shank, said lateral projection means being spaced from the head means, the head means and the lateral projection means having opposed substantially planar surfaces for receiving portions of a top lift, a kerf in the lower side of the lateral projection means, and a top lift formed in situ on the pin, the top lift extending from the top lift receiving bottom Wall, and filling the space between the head means and said lateral projection means and filling the kerf.

2. The combinationof claim 1 wherein there is a space between the lateral projection means and the top lift receiving bottom wall and part of the top lift is received within that space.

3. A pin and top lift combination, the pin having a shank for insertion into a shoe heel, a head on an end of the shank, a second head projecting laterally from the shank and spaced from the first head, the two heads having opposed substantially planar surfaces for receiving portions of a top lift, the head nearest the end of the pin having a kerf in it, the space between the heads having a depth substantially equal to the difference between the radius of the shank and the radius of one of the heads; and a top lift of resilient plastic construction formed in situ on the pin, said top lift covering both heads and having a portion extending into and filling the space between the heads and the space defined by the kerf.-

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the kerf means communicates with the space between the head.

5. A heel and top lift combination comprising a heel having a heel seat and a top lift receiving bottom wall, a hole within the heel extending from the bottom wall substantially to the heel seat, a pin having a shank within the hole, the shank extending substantially to the heel seat and the lower end of the shank projecting below the bottom wall, a first head projecting laterally from the shank adjacent the lower end thereof, a second head projecting laterally from the shank between the first head and the bottom wall, the first head having a kerf in its lower side, the heads having opposed surfaces intersecting the shank at substantially right angles, said heads defining a space therebetween, and a top lift of resilient material formed in situ on the heads with portions of the top lift filling the space between the heads and the space defined by the kerf.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the depth of the kerf is at least as great as the height of the first head whereby the kerf extends through the first head and com municates with the space between the first and second heads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,851,797 Ronci Sept. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 826,006 Great Britain Dec. 23, 1959 1,224,398 France Feb. 8, 1960 1,227,916 France Mar. 7, 1960 1,234,785 France May 23, 1960 855,807 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1960 

1. A HEEL AND TOP LIFT COMBINATION COMPRISING A HEEL HAVING A TOP LIFT RECEIVING BOTTOM WALL, A RECESS IN THE HEEL FOR RECEIVING THE SHANK OF A PIN, SAID PIN HAVING A SHANK FOR INSERTION WITHIN THE RECESS WITH AN END OF THE SHANK LOCATED OUTSIDE THE RECESS AND BELOW THE BOTTOM WALL, HEAD MEANS ADJACENT THE AFORESAID END OF THE SHANK AND PROJECTING LATERALLY BEYOND THE SURFACE OF THE SHANK, LATERAL PROJECTION MEANS BEYOND THE SURFACE OF THE SHANK, SAID LATERAL PROJECTION MEANS BEING SPACED FROM THE HEAD MEANS, THE HEAD MEANS AND THE LATERAL PROJECTION MEANS HAVING OPPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR SURFACES FOR RECEIVING PORTIONS OF A TOP LIFT, A KERF IN THE LOWER SIDE OF THE LATERAL PROJECTION MEANS, AND A TOP LIFT FORMED IN SITU ON THE PIN, THE TOP LIFT EXTENDING FROM THE TOP LIFT RECEIVING BOTTOM WALL, AND FILLING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE HEAD MEANS AND SAID LATERAL PROJECTION MEANS AND FILLING THE KERF. 